Sporcle Goes to the Animals

Editors note: This is another entry in our series of blog posts highlighting various Sporcle subcategories. Today we highlight Animal quizzes

We love animals. Here at Sporcle HQ, staff bring their dogs to work. Geese waddle by our front door. And we create Tumblrs devoted to pictures of puppies.

But what makes animals so lovable? We share the planet with these creatures, and so it seems right that we should want to get to know them. But more than just feeling like we should care about them, humans have taken a special interest in the animal world. We just hope all these feelings aren’t caused by parasites.

Parasites asides, a huge sign of our fondness for animals is the fact that we have zoos. We go to zoos because we feel there’s something wholesome about seeing animals and learning about them. According to the Associations of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), when people visits zoos, they feel more connected to nature and conservation efforts. It also helps that those animals we’re trying to protect are just so darn cute. (And of course, we wouldn’t want to add to the list of extinct animals)

Beyond satisfying our curiosity about the world, animals also help us learn. As children, some of the first things we learn are the names of animals and the sounds that they make. Sitting on our parents’ laps, gazing at picture books, we learn to “bark” and “quack” and “moo.” Making animal sounds is a way for children to begin learning how to talk, and babies can begin learning animal sounds as early as 10 months old.

Another reason we probably love animals so much is because they have personality. Just like us, they start as tiny, innocent baby animals, they go through the angry adolescent phase, and they grow old, just like us. Even reptiles and bugs have personality, though this can be hard to remember when all you can think about is trying not to get stung or bitten.

Pig + boots = personality

When our real interactions with animals make us question their lovableness, we can always depend on fictional animals to restore our good feelings. Where would the Lone Ranger be without Silver? Or The Mystery Gang without Scooby-Doo? Animals also play important roles in the titles of movies, books, operas and more. And pretty much every Disney movie depends on at least one animal to bring the story to life. Whether we care to admit it or not, animals are an important part of our lives.

Comments

Related Articles

Some holidays are serious and somber, and others are just plain silly. Falling into the latter category is National Tell a Joke Day, an annual celebration of laughter observed each August 16th. So, just what […]

Some people dislike musicals. While this is hard to believe, it is nonetheless true. Admittedly, that’s kind of like saying that you don’t like sunshine, happiness, and kittens, but some people are disturbed enough to […]

At some time or another, you have probably heard the phrase “comparing apples and oranges”. It is often used when someone compares two items that are so different, any such comparison is considered invalid. While […]